Tobacco smoking equipment

ABSTRACT

A detachable charge housing is provided wherein the side wall is perforated with a plurality of air vent openings that are covered internally by an overlapping paper section which is both porous and absorbent which is wrapped around a metal screen wire sleeve inserted into the charge housing in such a manner that the disposable assembly is retained by frictional contact and with the thusly described charge housing assembly being loaded with smoking tobacco and seated vertically in the upstream open end of a smoking holder, comprising additionally an affixed stem section having a longitudinal smoke channel therein. The smoking holder is provided in a preferred modification and an optional modification. The construction and operation of the two modifications are identical with the exception that the optional modification has a perforated side wall which is formed above the charge housing seat which substantially encompasses the charge housing in a spaced relationship. The principal features of the invention are that the porous and absorbent paper section which surrounds the burning tobacco charge does not burn and that it allows air filtration which improves the combustion of the tobacco charge and absorbs moisture therefrom which subsequently evaporates thus resulting in a drier and cooler smoke than that which is produced by conventional tobacco smoking pipes.

Beam

[ TOBACCO SMOKING EQUIPMENT [76] Inventor: Jon W. Beam, 510 Cherry St.,

Cushing, Okla. 74023 22 Filed: N0v.24, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 309,157

[52] U.S. C1 131/3, 131/195, 131/226 [51] Int. Cl. A24d 01/14, A24d01/22 [58] Field of Search 131/3, 194, 195, 15 B, 131/226 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 270,562 1/1883 Burbank 131/195 X588,259 8/1897 Betts 131/3 610,839 9/1898 Wright. 131/196 647,740 4/1900Beatty 131/196 782,219 2/1905 Coleman 131/3 2,094,708 10/1937 Karlson l131/195 2,991,788 7/1961 Brost 131/3 3,267,941 8/1966 Doppelt 131/2043,283,763 11/1966 Cholet 131/3 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATION-S 19,7651913 Great Britain 131/226 1,431,791 2/1966 France 20,574 1895 GreatBritain 9,521 1885 Great Britain 131/3 Primary Examiner-Joseph S. ReichAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Head & Johnson [111 3,834,399 [451 Sept. 10,1974 1 ABSTRACT A detachable charge housing is provided wherein the sidewall is perforated with a plurality of air vent openings that arecovered internally by an overlapping paper section which is both porousand absorbent which is wrapped around a metal screen wire sleeveinserted into the charge housing in such a manner that the disposableassembly is retained by frictional contact and with the thusly describedcharge housing assembly being loaded with smoking tobacco and seatedvertically in the upstream open end of a smoking holder, comprisingadditionally an affixed stem section having a longitudinal smoke channeltherein. The smoking holder is provided in a preferred modification andan optional modification. The construction and operation of the twomodifications are identical with the exception that the optionalmodification has a perforated side wall which is formed above the chargehousing seat which substantially encompasses the charge housing in aspaced relationship. The principal features of the invention are thatthe porous and absorbent paper section which surrounds the burningtobacco charge does not burn and that it allows air filtration whichimproves the combustion of the tobacco charge and absorbs moisturetherefrom which subsequently evaporates thus resulting in a drier andcooler smoke than that which is produced by conventional tobacco smokingpipes.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 TOBACCO SMOKING EQUIPMENT BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION Thus far the smoking of tobacco has been confinedprimarily to three basic adaptations. Namely pipe, cigar, and cigarette.It is well known that all of these methods of tobacco usage haveobjectionable features. In the case of tobacco smoking pipes, thecombustion of the tobacco charge may be poor. This characteristicresults in wasted tobacco and the need for frequent relighting.Additionally, the smoke and pipe bowl becomes unpleasantly hot and afoul tasting fluid accumulates in the stem section. Efforts have beenmade to improve the combustion of tobacco smoking pipes through the useof small air vent openings in the pipe bowl section, however suchprocedure has met with little success due to the fact that the openingsmust obviously be very small if the pipe is to function properly and sothey are consequently soon plugged with tobacco tar and renderedineffective. Another approach to the problem has been to encase thetobacco charge in a paper wrapper such as cigarette paper and to seatsuch a charge in a spaced relationship in a pipe having a perforatedbowl side wall. This procedure is covered in my pending U.S. Pat.application No. 243,144, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,428, issued Oct. 16,I973, and now abandoned application 254,358. Although this latterarrangement assures improved combustion of the tobacco charge, it hasthe disadvantage that the paper wrapper is consumed with each pipe loadand must be replaced.

High production cost and excessive taxation are objectionable factors ofcigar and cigarette usage. Furthermore, in the case of cigarettes, theyare plagued by advertizing restrictions, health hazard propaganda andthe requirement of having to smoke burning paper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is a principal object of theinvention to provide a new and novel means for smoking tobacco or othersuch like materials, wherein the equipment is similar in appearance to atobaccosmoking pipe, but wherein the principals of combustion andoperation arequite different.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pipe-like means forsmoking tobacco wherein tobacco waste is reduced due to more completecombustion.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a pipe-likemeans of smoking tobacco wherein air supply to the burning tobaccocharge is not primarily dependent on the smokers drawing on the stemsection, thus eliminating the need for frequent relighting.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a pipe-likemeans of smoking tobacco wherein the accumulation of foul tasting fluidsin the stem section is substantially reduced.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a pipe-likemeans of smoking tobacco wherein evaporative cooling of the chargehousing and smoke stream automatically results.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a means forsmoking tobacco wherein the tobacco charge is encompassed in closeproximity by a combustible paper section which is permeableand-absorbent in such a manner that it does not burn and is reusable.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a pipe-likemeans of smoking tobaccowherein cigar and cigarette smokers will finditto be an acceptable substitute.

Although the aerodynamics of the smoke stream through the charge housingsection of the subject invention are not completely clear it is believedthat the smoke stream finds the path of least resistance to be throughthe wire screen sleeve irregularities, that partial condensation of thevaporized liquid products of combustion occurs in the charge housingside wall area and that such products are absorbed by the permeable andabsorbent paper section which is frictionally sandwiched between theaforesaid wire screen sleeve and the perforated side wall of the chargehousing, and that evaporative cooling occurs due to air filtration therethrough.

It should be pointed out that the heat dissipating characteristics ofthe wire screen sleeve and the thin wall metal charge housing which canbe constructed of aluminum or other rapidheat dissipating metal play animportant part in the heretofore recited condensation action and thatsuch heat dissipation along with the resulting absorbed moisture are thefactors which prevent the permeable and absorbent paper sectionfromburnmg.

It will be found that for the best results however that the wire screensleeve and permeable and absorbent paper section should be periodicallyreplaced since tobacco tar buildup on these parts will gradually reducethe effectiveness of the assembly.

Further and additional objects and advantages will subsequently becomeapparent from the description, accompanying drawings and appendedclaims.

DESCRIPTION FIG. 2 is a vertical perspective illustration of the screenwire sleeve with the porous and absorbent paper section being partiallywrapped thereabout.

FIG. 3 is an angle perspective view of the charge housing of FIG. 1,with the wire screen sleeve and porous and absorbent paper sectionassembly of FIG. 2, frictionally inserted therein.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal perspective view of the preferred smoking holdermodification, with the charge housing assembly of FIG. 3 being loadedwith a tobacco charge and frictionally seated in the charge housing seatof the said smoking holder.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal perspective view of the optional smoking holderwithout the charge housing and which illustrates in partial section thecharge housing seat construction of the smoking holders of FIGS. 4'and5.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, a thinwall perforated charge housing is provided which can be easilyconstructed at low cost by modifying a standard fluorescent lightstarter housing. Such housings which are usually identified by thenumerals F-2 or F-4 are cup-like receptacles formed from thinwallaluminum metal having a thickness of approximately 15 thousandths of1 inch. Additionally they are cylindrically shaped having a closed endand an open end, with the open end being characterized by four' smallequispaced retainment lips (not shown) which are formed on the open endedge thereof. The overall length of the housings being approximately oneand one quarter inches, whereas the internal diameter is approximatelythree fourths of '1 inch. In accomplishing the aforesaid modification ofsuch housings I first remove and discard the four small retainment lips(not shown) from the edge of the open end and centrally punch a hole inthe closed end which is five eights of one inch in diameter, thusleaving a l/l6 inch retainment rim 11. The modification is thencompleted by punching a plurality of equispaced holes 12 and 12A in theside wall of the housing. The size and number of these holes is notcritical, however for best results the combined area of the holesshould'be not less than 50 percent or more than 80 percent of the totalside wall area.

Referring now again to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 2, apaper wrapped screen wire liner assembly is formed in the followingmanner. I first cut out a rectangular section of one sixteenth inch meshaluminum houshold screen wire 13, one and one quarter inches in widthand two and one half inches in length. It should be noted here howeverthat it is not my intention to confine the screen wire section to thisexact mesh size material or size, since other combinations can be usedwith good results. The thusly described screen wire section 13 is nextformed into a cylindrical overlapping sleeve as illustrated in FIG. 2and a porous and absorbent paper section 14 being of approximately thesame dimensions is also wrapped laterally in overlapping relationshipthereabout to complete the assembly. It should be noted in thisconnection that paper section 14 must be both porous and absorbent. Suchpaper is readily available at low cost in the form of paper towels andnapkins. The porousity and absorption characteristics of such papervaries somewhat however and therefore some are more suitable thanothers. I have found that a paper towel product which is sold under thetrade name of Bounty or any other paper having approximately similarporousity and absorption characteristics will give good results. Bountypaper towels are manufactured by the Charmin paper company, a subsidiaryof the Proctor and Gamble Co. under a combination of US. Pat. Nos.3,301,746, 3,4l4,459 and D-2l2,049.

Referring again to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 2 and FIG.3. In forming the liner assembly as illustrated in FIG. 2, it isdesirable that initially this assembly be of slightly less diameter thanthe internal diameter of the charge housing in order to facilitate theinsertion therein. The forming of the assembly can be easilyaccomplished by wrapping the component parts around the stem section 15of the smoking holder. The operation can also be simplified by joiningscreen wire section 13 and porous and absorbent paper section 14 inadhesive attachment with a small amount of non toxic glue along theedges prior to the formation of the dency of the wire screen section tounwind necessitates that the liner assembly must be held in a compressedmanner with the fingers until it is at least partially inserted into thecharge housing and when released to expand and be in frictional contactand retainment with the internal side wall of the charge housing. Itshould also be obvious that the narrow rim 1 1 which is located on theupstream end of the charge housing serves simply as a retainment meansto prevent the liner assembly from falling out of the hole 10 afterbeing fully inserted into the open down stream end 17.

Referring again to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 4 and FIG.5. A preferred smoking holder is provided as illustrated in FIG. 4 andan optional smoking holder is provided as illustrated in FIG. 5. Itshould be explained at this point that both modifications areidentically constructed with the exception of the fact that in the caseof the optional modification of FIG. 5 a perforated side wall 18 isextended vertically above the charge seat 19 in such a manner that itwill encompass the charge housing in a spaced relationship when it iscentrally seated therein. It should also be noted that whereas thepreferred smoking holder modification as illustrated in FIG. 4 shows thecharge housing assembly loaded with tobacco and seated in the chargehousing seat 19 thereof the optional smoking holder modification asillustrated in FIG. 5 does not include the charge housing. Since thecharge housing seats are identical in both modifications it is believedthat such differences in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 will better facilitate anunderstanding of the invention. It is not believed that a detaileddiscussion of the construction of these two smoking holders is eithernecessary or desirable other than to explain how they differ fromconventional smoking pipes since obviously they are quite similar andmay even be constructed by modifying tobacco smoking pipes.

In the case of the preferred modification as illustrated in FIG. 4 allof the bowl section is eliminated with the exception of the base portionwhich is subsequently modified so as to become the charge housing seat.The aforesaid modification is achieved by boring a circular groove 21about 5/32 of one inch in width and about one quarter of 1 inch in depthas illustrated in FIG. 5. It should be further noted that the externaldiameter of charge housing seat groove 21 should be such that the chargehousing can be frictionally seated and retained therein in anessentially leak proof manner and that the charge seat groove 21 has a'beveled upstream'edge 22, said groove 21 extending downwardly into opencommunication with the smoke channel 23 which is longitudinally disposedwithin the stem section 15. Attention should also be directed to thefact that a shallow inboard secondary groove 24 is provided in thebottom of the primary seating groove 21 and that a tobacco retainmentplug 25 is thusly formed that is faced with a thin metal disc 26 whichis held in place by screw 27. Secondary groove 24 insures a reducedpressure drop of the smoke stream when the charge housing is fullyseated and tobacco retainment plug25 is designed to retain the tobaccocharge within the charge housing above the charge housing seat, thusassuring the advantages of side wall ventilation to that portion of thetobacco charge which wouldotherwise be encompassed by the impermeableside wall of the charge housing seat. It should also be obvious thatmetal disc 26 is provided in order to protect the upstream face oftobacco retainment plug 25 from burnmg.

Referring again to the accompanying drawing and specifically to FIG. 5,it can be seen that this optional smoking holder modification isidentical in every detail with the preferred modification of FIG. 4 withthe exception of the perforated side wall which extends above the chargehousing seat. This aforesaid side wall should be sized internally so asto allow free circulation of air around the charge housing. A clearanceof about one eighth of 1 inch will give good results. The size andnumber of holes 28 and 28A is not critical however the combined area ofsuch holes should be the maximum amount that can be used withoutexcessively reducing the structural strength of the side wall 18. I havefound that 24 equispaced holes fifteen sixty fourths of 1 inch indiameter is one such satisfactory perforating procedure. It should alsobe pointed out that the height of the perforated side wall 18 should besuch that the seated charge housing will project slightly above it. Thisarrangement is desirable inasmuch as it facilitates the insertion andremoval of the charge housing by the smoker.

Although precise measurements and dimensions have been suggested inorder to insure successful reproduction of the invention, they areconsidered as illustrative only of the principals of the inventions.Furthermore since numerous changes and modifications will readily occurto those skilled in art, it is not desired to limit the invention to theexact construction and operation as shown and described and accordinglyall suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to fallingwithin the scope of the invention as set forth and claimed.

Having thus fully and completely described the invention what is nowclaimed as new is as follows:

1. Tobacco smoking equipment including a smoking holder and comprising avertically disposed hollow cylindrical charge housing having a pluralityof spaced air vent openings therein, a cylindrical moisture absorbentporous sleeve disposed within the charging housing in communication withthe air vent openings, a cylindrical shaped resilient wire screendisposed within the porous sleeve and constantly providing a radiallyoutward force against said porous sleeve holding said porous sleevetightly against the inside surface of the charge housing; said smokingholder comprising an open base, an elongated stem section connectedthereto, said stem section being provided with a longitudinal smokechannel therethrough, means providing an annular seating cavity providedin the open base for frictionally receiving one end of the chargehousing therein and in sealing engagement therewith, said seating cavitymeans being in open communication with the smoke channel and theinterior of the charge housing.

2. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein thecharge housing seat of the smoking holder has upwardly a short extendingtobacco retaining plug formed centrally in the seating cavity meansthereof.

3. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein aperforated side wall is located vertically above the open base whichencompasses the seat charge housing and is radially outwardly spacedtherefrom.

4. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein thecharge housing is formed of thin wall heat dissipating metal having awall thickness of not more than 0.25 thousandths of 1 inch.

5. The tobacco smoking equipment of claim 1 wherein the combined area ofthe air vent openings in the charge housing side wall isequal to fiftyto eighty percent of the total side wall area.

6. The tobacco smoking equipment of claim 1 wherein the charge housingis provided with a narrow radially inwardly extending annular retainmentrim which is formed on the outer end thereof.

7. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein theresilient wire screen section is the tobacco charge.

1. Tobacco smoking equipment including a smoking holder and comprising avertically disposed hollow cylindrical charge housing having a pluralityof spaced air vent openings therein, a cylindrical moisture absorbentporous sleeve disposed within the charging housing in communication withthe air vent openings, a cylindrical shaped resilient wire screendisposed within the porous sleeve and constantly providing a radiallyoutward force against said porous sleeve holding said porous sleevetightly against the inside surface of the charge housing; said smokingholder comprising an open base, an elongated stem section connectedthereto, said stem section being provided with a longitudinal smokechannel therethrough, means providing an annular seating cavity providedin the open base for frictionally receiving one end of the chargehousing therein and in sealing engagement therewith, said seating cavitymeans being in open communication with the smoke channel and theinterior of the charge housing.
 2. The tobacco smoking equipmentcombination of claim 1 wherein the charge housing seat of the smokingholder has upwardly a short extending tobacco retaining plug formedcentrally in the seating cavity means thereof.
 3. The tobacco smokingequipment combination of claim 1 wherein a perforated side wall islocated vertically above the open base which encompasses the seat chargehousing and is radially outwardly spaced therefrom.
 4. The tobaccosmoking equipment combination of claim 1 wherein the charge housing isformed of thin wall heat dissipating metal having a wall thickness ofnot more than 0.25 thousandths of 1 inch.
 5. The tobacco smokingequipment of claim 1 wherein the combined area of the air vent openingsin the charge housing side wall is equal to fifty to eighty percent ofthe total side wall area.
 6. The tobacco smoking equipment of claim 1wherein the charge housing is provided with a narrow radially inwardlyextending annular retainment rim which is formed on the outer endthereof.
 7. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1 whereinthe resilient wire screen section is formed of 1/16 inch mesh householdscreen wire.
 8. The tobacco smoking equipment combination of claim 1wherein the absorbent porous sleeve has porosity and absorptioncharacteristics equivalent to that paper presently used as a papertowel.
 9. Tobacco smoking equipment comprising a perforated metal chargehousing, a porous moisTure absorbing paper section disposed within saidcharge housing for receiving a tobacco charge therein, and a wire screenshield disposed between the paper section and the tobacco charge.